Ministry of Home Affairs
The President of India conferred Padma Bhushan to Shri Kamlesh D. Patel in field of Spiritualism from Telangana in Civil Investiture Ceremony
The President also conferred Padma Shri to Dr. Modadugu Vijay Gupta in field of Science & Engineering, Dr.Hanumantha Rao Pasupuleti in field of Medicine and Dr. Bandi Ramakrishna Reddy in field of Literature & Education
The President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu conferred Padma Bhushan to Shri Kamlesh D. Patel in field of Spiritualism from Telangana in Civil Investiture Ceremony here today. The President also conferred Padma Shri to Dr. Modadugu Vijay Gupta in field of Science & Engineering, Dr.Hanumantha Rao Pasupuleti in field of Medicine and Dr. Bandi Ramakrishna Reddy in field of Literature & Education.
A brief citation about the life and work of awardees is given below-
- Shri Kamlesh D. Patel has been conferred Padma Bhushan in field of Spiritualism.
Shri Kamlesh D. Patel
Shri Kamlesh D. Patel, also known as Daaji, is the founder of the Heartfulness Movement, and the 3rd President of Shri Ram Chandra Mission and the 4th in the Guru Parampara of the Sahaj Marg system of meditation, which uses special technique of Pranahuti to assist seekers in their spiritual progress. Today they are practiced by millions of people in over 160 countries.
2. Born on 28thSeptember 1956, in rural Gujarat, Shri Patel displayed an early interest in both science and spirituality. He graduated with B. Pharma and M. Pharma with Honoursin 1980. While still at college, he also started Sahaj Marg meditation in September 1976, meeting the spiritual Guide, Babuji Maharaj, in 1977. After college, he moved to New York City, U.S.A., where he built a successful chain of pharmacies. At the same time, he continued to pursue his love of meditation and played an increasingly active role in the Heartfulness Movement.
3. On 20thDecember 2014, Shri Patel became the spiritual head of the Heartfulness Movement. As a student of science and spirituality, he is always doing research to ensure that these practices are accessible to more and more people. This has led to online meditation masterclasses, the one-of-kind Heartfulness App that has the functionality to connect a seeker to a trainer anywhere in the world anytime, large-scale meditation Utsavs in many cities across India and abroad, as well as the regular sessions in centres and ashrams, schools and colleges, government offices and corporates, medical facilities, and the armed forces. In addition, he has developed Kanha Shanti Vanam, which is home to the world's largest meditation centre and the international headquarters of Heartfulness. He has also opened the Heartfulness Yoga Academy, the Heartfulness Tree Conservation Centre, the Heartfulness Wellness Centre, and spearheaded a revolution in Green Initiatives that are being rolled out across the world, in collaboration with local, state and federal governments, farmers, and partners. He is the author of three bestselling books - The Heartfulness Way, Designing Destiny, and The Wisdom Bridge.
4. In 2018, Shri Patel received an honorary doctorate from Sri Venkateswara University. In 2020, the Priyadarshini Academy awarded him the Ramkrishna Bajaj Memorial Global Award, and he has received India's Most Admirable Leader and The Silent Changemaker awards by various business publications and organizations. Kanha Shanti Vanam, has been the recipients of multiple awards, including "The Pride of Telangana," "Haritha Haram" for the last three years, and the Indian Green Building Council Platinum Award.